


Scintilla

by bloodscout



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-06
Updated: 2012-04-06
Packaged: 2017-11-03 03:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/376445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodscout/pseuds/bloodscout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>April 4th<br/>	•	scintilla  ||  [noun]  ||  a spark or a very small thing</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scintilla

Sam is sitting cross-legged on a chair in a way that he shouldn’t be able to achieve with legs like his, but he’d sworn that it was the best way to study. His shoes rested in the corner and occasionally he wiggles his socked toes, which is really very endearing. He has a pen between his teeth and is frowning a little, either out of concentration or to keep his ridiculous hair out of his eyes. One hand taps a little three beat rhythm on the page and the other pillows his cheek. Gabe stares at the two tapping fingers for a long time, as if he could work out what song Sam was listening to just by Sam’s movement. Gabe realises the futility of this endeavour about 10 minutes in, and simultaneously decides he needs to actually talk to this guy. He has been sitting in the librarian’s coffee room every weekday from seven to ten for about three weeks, splitting his time between reading and staring at the kid. He had turned up one day to check on his little brother, Castiel, and Sam had caught his eye immediately. Castiel had explained that his name is Sam, he studies at KU, has a keen interest in insects and he comes to the library like clockwork.

And now we’re back to Gabriel’s creepy stalker time.

He gets up from his chair, accidentally alerting his owlish brother of his movement.

‘Gabriel? Are you leaving already? What’s going on?’

It’s a Wednesday – always a quiet day – and Castiel has taken advantage of the lack of drama to spend come time with his boyfriend. Gabriel likes to call him I’m-so-damn-manly-cars-classic-rock-and-a-librarian-boyfriend, but his real name was Dean Winchester. They are currently curled up on the couch, looking like a people-pretzel.

‘He’s decided to stop perving on my little brother is what’s going on.’ Dean shoots Gabe a meaningful look. ‘Seriously, dude, it’s getting creepy.’

Oh yeah, and Dean was also Sam’s brother. Just for that fact, Gabriel was convinced he had a severe social disorder.

Gabriel rolled his neck and cracked his back. ‘I’m going to just ask him out for drinks.’ He said, sounding less confident than he was used to.

He didn’t know what to expect from this Sam kid – they were nothing alike, if Dean’s description was anything to go off. There was Sam, just starting his post-grad, full of excitement and joy and innocence, and here was Gabriel, just about to round off his twenties, a virtually unknown theatre actor who spent most of his time with his brother and his brother’s boyfriend, staring a kid he’d never met before through a sheet of bulletproof glass. Occasionally Gabriel wondered why the bulletproof glass was necessary. Maybe Castiel was being too hard on late fees.

‘Go get ‘em.’ Dean said distractedly. Castiel simply hummed encouragingly and sent Gabriel a little ‘good luck’ stare, as staring seemed to be Castiel’s first language.  
Gabriel is sure that Dean would be putting up more of a fight if he thought about exactly who Gabriel was about to proposition, rather than occupying dirty thoughts about his lapful of librarian. Wait, proposition? Where did that come from? Who had that idea? God Almighty, Gabriel was beyond hope now.

He crosses the library and approaches the tall, seated figure in the corner of the quiet study area. He insinuates himself in Sam’s space as much as he dares and speaks up.

‘What’ch’a readin’?’ the thirteen year old girl who has taken over Gabriel’s body says.

Sam looks a little bewildered for a moment before he replies. ‘Lampyridae.’

Gabriel frowns. ‘Lampreys?’

Sam makes a face, like Gabriel is the most insufferable idiot he has ever met. ‘Lampyridae. Fireflies.’

Gabriel grins. ‘Lighting bugs, yeah. They’re real cool.’

Sam grins. ‘I love them. Did you know that the chemical in fireflies’ tails are being used in cancer research? It detects ATP, which is higher in diseased cells, so it can be used in muscular dystrophy studies as well. And in some species, the eggs glow. They’re amazing.’ Sam tells him excitedly. His whole face lights up and Gabriel finds his enthusiasm remarkably infectious.

There was a comfortable dip in conversation, at which point Gabriel decided to introduce himself. ‘Okay, classic icebreaker. I’m Gabriel-call-me-Gabe. I like dark chocolate and red wine. Preferably at the same time.’

Sam outstretched his hand. ‘I’m Sam.’ Gabriel took Sam’s hand. He liked a good, strong handshake and this was no let down. A small smile started to form in the corner of Sam’s mouth. ‘I like fireflies, I guess.’

Suddenly, Gabriel had an idea.

‘It’s Wednesday, right?’

Sam nods, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. ‘Ye-es.’ He says slowly, enunciating the words like he thought Gabriel had a learning difficulty. Which, because of the twitching and the blindingly simple questions, okay, founded.

‘So you’ll be here tomorrow, right?’ At 7 o’clock?

Sam nods and Gabriel doesn’t have time to work out if he’s even a little freaked out that Gabriel knows the exact times at which he will be at the library. Gabriel just says goodbye and runs off.

***

Sam sits at the desk on Thursday evening, wondering if the weird short guy – Gabriel, his memory supplies – will turn up. He left in a bit of a hurry and Sam has no idea what he was up to, but he seemed nice enough. He didn’t yawn expansively when Sam started talking about fireflies, which Sam takes as a good signs.

Just as he is about to open up his second book and start taking notes, Gabriel seats himself on the edge of the table. He’s holding something wrapped in a thick red scarf, cradling it gently, like it might break with the slightest jostle.

‘So I got you something.’ He says, voice a little quieter than Sam remembers it being yesterday.

He frowns. ‘Why?’

Gabriel coughs nervously and shifts the object in his hands. ‘Just, you know. Thought you might like it.’ He sets the object in the scarf on the table and it takes Sam a moment before he realises that this is what Gabriel was talking about. ‘The scarf is for you too. I thought it might look good.’

Sam pulls off the scarf. Underneath is a glass jar, like those ones you see in old films and antique stores, with the shiny brass lid and the raised letters that told you the company that manufactured it. And inside is…

Oh.

Fireflies. Gabriel got him a jar full of fireflies. Buzzing about, flashing their tails at each other. A jar full of fireflies, his favourite animal in the whole world, bright and fascinating. Sam was speechless.

‘Uh, Sam. Will you go with me for drinks tonight? Or maybe dinner. Dinner and a movie. A…’

‘Date?’ Sam asked, finishing Gabriel’s sentence.

Gabriel nodded. ‘Yes. A date.’

Sam didn’t answer, but he thought the crush of his lips against Gabriel’s was answer enough.

**Author's Note:**

> The chemicals in a fireflies tail are luciferase and luciferin. Geddit? Lucifer?


End file.
